Experience speaks just as loud as reputation

In Nick Smurthwaite’s (DW 19 August) engaging article The Voice of Experience, he suggests that only Terence Conran could really cut it as a public speaker from the design world as he’s one of the few ‘design’ names who is recognisable outside the industry.

But others would probably have far more interesting stories to tell. What about the likes of Factory Design on designing the world’s smallest toilet for Concorde; or Julian House and his experiences working with Primal Scream, or anyone involved in the fiasco that was the Millennium Dome? All these topics would keep any dinner party going during coffee and mints.

A household name isn’t necessarily the best person to speak in public, if they have nothing to say. Iain Duncan-Smith flopped on the talks circuit – give me Kenneth Grange and his space- age washing machines any day.